Cotton picking process



July 12, 1966 E. L. WILSON, JR

COTTON PICKING PROCESS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. so, 1965 INVEN TOR. EDWARD L. WILSONJR.

ATTORNEY.

July 12, E- L. WILSON JR COTTON PICKING PROCESS Filed Aug. 50, 1965 B Sheets-Sheet 2 PICKER DRUM FROM RESERVOIR |08 I 4;; llli LWHHIIIIIHIIVI |05 |26 y :Vyq l, 'l Y "um, sTn' i Il l/ @if |26 |06 1l los` im Llouln l Il 'Ik APPLICAToRs |05 |26 RUBBER BARBED PlcIKG SPINDLES DOB-ERS FIG. 2.

INVENTOR.

EDWARD L.WILSON, JR.,

United States Patent O 3,260,040 COTTON PICKING PROCESS Edward L. Wilson, Jr., Baytown, Tex., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Esso Research and Engineering Company, Elizabeth, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 305,659 9 Claims. (Cl. 56-41) The present invention relates to a method of minimizing cavitomic degradation of cotton during the mechanical Ipicking operation, and apparatus for carrying out that method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and process forapplying anticavitoma preservatives to seed cotton during the mechanical picking thereof, as set forth in detail hereinbelow.

rllhe quality of mechanically picked cotton has been generally considered to be lower than that of hand-picked cotton. This partly due to the fact that the spindles of cotton picking machines -become covered with dirt and resinous materials which are transferred to .the cotton bers, thereby staining them. In most modern machines, water is continuously applied to ,the spindles for the intended purpose of keeping them clean, but is only partly effective. In addition, the water further dampens the cotton which already may be moist due to rain or general ambient dampness. Moisture and warm temperatures promote cavitomic (microbial and fungal) degradation of the cotton. This degradation generally occurs during the initial storage period, before ginning and drying. Thus, it is very important that-the cotton be protected from cavitomic degradation during the period between picking and drying. The present invention is directed toward providing such protection.

In the .present invention, antimicrobial and/ or fungicidal preservative materials '(preferably in an oil carrier) are applied to the cotton during the mechanical picking operation, either by application to the spindles in place of the water-moistening step, or by spraying the preservative into the cotton-transport duct, or both. Where the preservative replace-s the water as a spindle moistener, it has been found that the cotton is maintained cleaner and freer from stained libers than had been the case when using water.

The preservative liquid of the present invention comprises a preservative compound in a carrier liquid, either wi-th or without an emulsifying agent.

Suitable preservative compounds are S-hydroxy quinoline, 2,4,6trichlorophenol, 2-chl0ro-4-phenyl-phenol, 3, 5,3,4tetrachlorosalicylanilide, elemental sulfur, etc.

Suitable liquid carriers for the preservative materials are found in the various hydrocarbon streams. For application through Athe spindle, the carrier may suitably -be Te'lura 35, .a naphthenic hydrocarbon mixture lboiling within the range of 550 F. to 700 F., and containing from 60% to 65% naphthenes, 25% to 30% aromatic hydrocarbons, and to 10% parainic hydrocarbons. For spraying in the air duct, Solvesso 100 is exemplary of suitable carriers. This solvent boils within the range of 320 F. to 360 F., has an open cup flash point of 115 F. to 130 F., and has a Viscosity of 0.77 centistoke at 25 C. It contains 97% aromatics, 0.5% n-aphthenes, and 2.5% paratlins. Other suitable liquid carriers are liexadecyl alcohol, isopropanol, and like compounds.

When the preservative liquid is to be .applied by contact with the spindle, highly aromatic carrier oils should not be employed since :the doing members in mechanical pickers are constructed of rubber and may be degraded by highly aromatic hydrocarbons.

If desired, or if necessary, in order to form an emulsion of the preservative compound in the liquid carrier, an emulsifying agent such as xylenol, alkyl aryl polyether alcohol, polyethylene glycol oleate, etc., may be employed.

The concentration of the preservative material in the liquid carrier may vary widely, from about .01 weight percen-t to about l5 weight percent. A suitable concentration has been found to be about 3% to 6% by weight with respect to all of the above-mentioned perservative materials in the respective liquid carrier also above mentioned.

Where an emulsifier is desired, it may be used in suitable quantities, for example, about .01% to about 5%.

The rate of application of the preservative material in the liquid carrier is best measured by the amount of active ingredient per unit of cotton tested. It has been found with respect to all of the above-n'ientioned materials that positive results are obtained when the preservative is applied in amounts from about 0.4 to about 0.8 mg. per gram of cotton. In a gallons-per-bale range, this would 4represent about 0.5 to about 2.() gallons of 2% solution per bale of cotton picked.

All of this may 'be better understood by reference to the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing in partial section of a cotton picking apparatus in use, and

FIG. 2 is a representation of the construction of the cotton picking apparatus specifically showing the relationship ibetween the spindles and the spindle moisteners.

Referring now to FIG. l, a cotton picking apparatus generally indicated by the figure is shown mounted upon a tractor unit 102, and Vis indicated as moving from the left to the right in order to remove cotton from the plant 103. The scoop means 104 embraces the cotton plants and guides them into contact with the spindles 105 whereby the cotton bolls are removed from the plants and are retained upon the spindles by means of barbs thereon.

The cotton on the barbed spindles is transported by rot-ation thereof into contact with the rotating dolfers 106, whereby the cotton is removed from the spindle and falls to the floor of the picking mechanism 108. From thence the cotton is transported by Way of an air stream within a duct 110, and is discharged into a basket means 112. The air stream is induced within the duct by means of blower 114, which is driven by a power take-off from the tractor 102.

The cotton preservative fluid is introduced into the duct 110 by means of nozzle 120 and pump 122 from a storage tank 124. Alternatively, the tank 124 may be pressured by the introduction of compressed air thereinto. It is preferred that the nozzle be a pneumatic nozzle wherein the preservative liquid is injected into a highvelocity Aair stream. This provides excellent dispersion of the liquid droplets to form a fine mist. Suitably in conjunction with the addition of the preservative into the duct 110, the preservative is also added to spindle moisteners 126 by way of line 128.

Thus, by the practice of the present invention, the cotton is removed from the plant and is contacted immediately by the preservative oil which is carried by the spindle 105, and m-ay be alternatively or further contacted with preservative oil within the duct 110 by means of the spray 120. Therefore, the cotton which is held in the basket 112 is protected as it is picked from cavitomic bio-degradation.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the operations of the spindles, spindle moisteners and doffers are more specifically illustrated. As the spindles 105 rotate from the right to the left, they are contacted by the doffers 106, which remove the cotton from the barbs on the spindle. The cottonfree spindles 105 are then contacted with the spindle moisteners 126, which are supplied with the preservative fluid by way of branches of line 128.

3 4 As exemplary of the practice of the present inven- I claim: tion, .at long staple cotton was picked under the following 1. In the method of mechanically picking cotton whereconditions. in cotton bolls are removed from growing plants by EXAMPLE 1 moving barbed spindles and are removed from the A cotton eld in the lower Rio Grande Valley was the spindles by doffers, said spindles being moistened to facilisubject of the experimental run. Early in the morning Fate the pl'ckmg and (.ofng Operation and Said Cotton in July, when the moisture was fairly high, cotton was 1S trmSpOr/ed from Said doffers t0.a basket by a Stream mechanically picked and S-hydroxy quinoline fungicide of au th? lmprqvemem of Con/[aging .Sal cotton with a was applied in Telura 35 or Solvesso 100 (see Table I for preservative during Sald mechanical pickmg characteristics). Either of two methods was used: (l) l0 2' A method 1n.acc0rdan. W1.th chum 1 wherein said application through the Spindle or (2) in the form of a Contact is accomplished while said cotton is being transm-ist in the conveying duct from the picker into the ported by Said Siream of air' temporary Storage hopper' 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said Samples of cotton were Obtained and tested to detep preservative is applied to said spindles and thereby conmine the degree of cavitoma which h-ad occurred. The tacted with Said oo tton 4. The method 1n accordance with claim 1 wherein method used was that set forth in the article by Charles M. Andrews and Lyle E. Hessler in Textile Research Sald preservatwe-1s S'hydroxy quinohne Journali, VOL 32, No. 10l Getober 1962, pp 862 through 5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said 864. In general, this test involves treating a onehalf presrvatwe 1S a 2%S0hm0n of, smydroxy C11111101ine in gram Sample of .Cotton in .a test tube with i0 mL of a 20 an oil solvent, and said preservative is applied in amounts 0.1% solution of bcnzidinc in 10% acetic acid. The Wlfhm the fangaof 0-4 t0 0-8 ma per gram of cotton. sample is stirred with a glass stirring rod to facilitate ad- ,6' A methqd m ac cordan Wlth Claim 5 wherein Sad sorption by the sample and the color is allowed to develop O11 S01Vent-b01ls Wlthm the fange 0f 550 F 10 700 F- fully. This requires from to 60 seconds, depending and Contam from 60% to 65% naphthensi 25% O on the intens-ity of the color. A 10 by 70 mm. test tube 25 30% aromams nd 570 to 10% Parafns is then lled with the solution and the intensity of the In combmauon Wlth a cotton Plcking deVCe having solutions color on a scale from 0 to 8 is observed through Spmdles doffe@ a Cotton transport duct, and blOWCl' the depth of the tube yand compared with Colors on a means for moving cotton through said duct; means for Standard chart The c0101 panges from ,a paie yellow introducing a preservative into said transport duct.

to a dark orange and begit1S fading in 4 to 5 minutes The 30 8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said degree of biological damage is proportional to the intenintroducing mefn COmPTSeS a PfeSeIVa'fVe Storage tank, Sity of the colon spray means within said duct, and `conduit means cori- The samples of cotton that were taken were submitted HeCtlIlg Sald Storage tank and said spray means. to the oavitoma test above described, and the results of w 9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said these tests are set forth in Tablelbelow. 0D spray means includes means for pumping preservative Table l Amount 0i Moisture 4 Days Storage 8 Days Storage 12 Days Storage Method of Formulation Content Treatment Applica- Applied, of Cotton tion Plnts/B ale Picked Lint Cavitoina Lint Cavitoma Lint Cavitoma Wt. Percent Grade 2 Rating 3 Grade 2 Rating 3 Grade 2 Rating 3 Check NOTle 13 2 Ll 2 LM 3 3% SHQ, in Solvesso 100 5 Mist 1 3.14 11. 2 SLM 1 SLi 1 4% 8HQ i in Telura. 35 4 Spindle.. 3. 75 13. 2 LM+ 2^3 LM 2 67 SHQ 6 in Solvesso 100 5.. Mist 1 2. 27 11. 2 SLM+ 1 SLM i 6 0 SHQ 0 in Solvesso 100 5 Mist l 3. 87 13 1-2 SLM 1 SLM 1-2 10% SHQ in Solvesso 100 5 Mist l 2. 56 11 1 SLM 1 LM+ 1 2 1 Mist application was made in the air conveyor duct of the picker. t l t 2 Lint grades are defined as follows in decreasing order: Good Middling (GM); Strick Middling (SM); Middling (M); Strict Low Middling (SLM); Low Middling (LM); Strict Good Ordinary (SGO); Good Ordinary (GO) Below Grade (B G).

3 Cavitoma Ledger: 0-1, No Cavitoma; 2-3, Borderline; Above 3, Cavitotrna. l

4 Telura 35 is a naphthenie oil boiling from .S50-700 F., having a flash point of 30G-310 F., and a viscosity 0f 56 SSU at 100 F. It contains (3U-65% naphthenes, 25-30% aromatics, and 5-10% parans. It is marketed under the trade name E nco or Esso Cotton Fiber Spray."

5 Solvesso 100 is an aromatic kerosene boiling from B20-360 F., having a flash (open cup) point o f 11S-130 F., and a viscosity of 0.77 cs at 25 C. It contains 97 aromatics, 0.5% naphthenes, and 2.5% parains. It is also marketed as Enco Aromatic 100.

6 SHQ is S-hydroxy quinoline.

It will be seen from the table that application of 4% from said storage tank, through said conduit means, S-hydroxy quinoline in Telura through the spindle and to said spray means. was the least effective method, but still yielded an advan- U tage when compared with the control sample after 8 References Clted by the Examiner anghlZ dayls Storagef h h d 1 h f 60 UNITED STATES PATENTS e app ication o t e y roxy quino ine in t e orm of a mist was much more eflective and protected the 1894198 1/1933 Rus? et al 56-14 cotton from cavtomic degradation, even after 12 days 2381863 8/1945 Bemgnus 117-138-5 storage 2,787,880 4/1957 Fergason 56-41 having set forth a preferred embodiment thereof, as well as a preferred mode of practicing the process of the pres- ABRAHAM G' STONE Prlmmy Examiner' ent invention, the Letters Patent should be restricted not RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Examiner.

by the specic examples herein given, but only by the appended claims. 

1. IN THE METHOD OF MECHANICALLY PICKING COTTON WHEREIN COTTON BOLLS ARE REMOVED FROM GROWING PLANTS BY MOVING BARBED SPINDLES AND ARE REMOVED FROM THE SPINDLES BY DOFFERS, SAID SPINDLES BEING MOISTENED TO FACILITATE THE PICKING AND DOFFING OPERATION, AND SAID COTTON IS TRANSPORTED FROM SAID DOFFERS TO A BASKET BY A STREAM OF AIR, THE IMPROVEMENT OF CONTACTING SAID COTTON WITH A PRESERVATIVE DURING SAID MECHANICAL PICKING. 